(a) A party in interest may appeal a compensation order issued by the board to the commission within 30 days after the compensation order is filed with the office of the board under AS 23.30.110. The director may intervene in an appeal. If a party in interest is not represented by counsel and the compensation order concerns an unsettled question of law, the director may file an appeal to obtain a ruling on the question by the commission.
(b) An appeal is initiated by filing with the office of the commission
(1) a signed notice of appeal specifying the compensation order appealed from;
(2) a statement of the grounds upon which the appeal is taken; and
(3) other material the commission may by regulation require.
(c) A cross-appeal may be initiated by filing with the office of the commission a signed notice of cross-appeal within 30 days after the decision is filed or within 15 days after service of notice of an appeal, whichever is later. The notice of cross-appeal shall specify the compensation order appealed from and the grounds upon which the cross-appeal is taken.
(d) The office of the commission may charge a fee, not to exceed $100, for filing appeals and cross-appeals, except that the office of the commission may not charge a fee if the appellant is the state or a political subdivision of the state. The commission may require an appellant to pay the costs of the transcript of hearing and the preparation of the record on appeal. The commission may require cross-appellants or intervenors to share in the costs.
(e) If a request for reconsideration of a board decision was timely filed with the office of the board, the notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days after the reconsideration decision is mailed to the parties or the date the request for reconsideration is considered denied in the absence of any action on the request, whichever is earlier.
(f) The commission may require written briefs and make other rules and orders to facilitate the business of the commission and advance the prompt, fair, and just disposition of appeals.